Episode 85

Keeping Things Human When You Automate

Published on: 8th February, 2026

Hello and welcome to this week's episode of The Australian Small Business Show.

In this episode, Matt and Kristy-Lee are joined by returning guest Val from Viya Technology to explore a very timely topic for small business owners, how to automate your business without losing the human touch. With AI and automation tools becoming more accessible than ever, many business owners are keen to improve efficiency but are equally concerned about how technology might impact customer experience, relationships and trust.

Val shares practical insights into finding the right balance between automation and human interaction. The conversation unpacks how to identify which parts of your customer journey are suitable for automation, and which areas should remain human-led to preserve value and connection. Using relatable examples, Val explains why understanding your ideal client and their expectations is critical before implementing any new technology.

Matt and Kristy-Lee also share real-world experiences from their own businesses, discussing onboarding, client communication and content creation. They talk candidly about where automation has worked well, where it has not, and why transparency and feedback are essential when introducing AI or automated processes into your business.

This episode is a must-listen for small business owners who want to leverage automation and AI thoughtfully, improve efficiency, and still deliver a genuine, human experience for clients, customers and teams.

Connect with Us:

If you're an Australian Small Business Owner, we'd love to connect with you on socials. You can give our Facebook Page a like here: https://www.facebook.com/theaustraliansmallbusinessshow

Or follow us on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/aussmallbizshow/

We’d love to hear from you!

Subscribe to The Australian Small Business Show newsletter by visiting our website here: https://www.theaustraliansmallbusinessshow.com.au/

  1. Disclaimer: The information shared on The Australian Small Business Show is general in nature and does not constitute professional advice, legal or otherwise. We recommend consulting with your advisors on your specific circumstances.
Next Episode All Episodes Previous Episode

Listen for free

Show artwork for The Australian Small Business Show

About the Podcast

The Australian Small Business Show
The Australian Small Business Show has been created by small business owners, for small business owners.

Your hosts Matt Heighway and Kristy-Lee Billett, who have both been running businesses for over 15 years, will bring our first hand experiences to offer insights, advice and inspiration to help you build a successful small business.

Each week we’ll discuss one specific strategy, topic, resource or tip that’s relevant for every small business, and we’ll be inviting along some amazing guests and friends in business to share their expertise with you.

Whether you're starting out, scaling up or a seasoned small business owner, this Australian Small Business Show is the show for you.

About your hosts

Kristy-Lee Billett

Profile picture for Kristy-Lee Billett
Kristy is a nationally recognised HR expert, passionate small business advocate, podcast host, mum, wife, beach lover and runner.

She has spent more than 20 years now working in the field of Human Resources, People Management and Recruitment.

For the last 10 years she has dedicated herself to exclusively supporting small to medium sized businesses, those who employ less than 100 staff with all aspects of their HR, recruitment, people management and resource structures.

She founded her first business in 2006, and today she continues to direct this business, which is now known as People Powered Business.

Today She loves working with businesses inside our People Powered HR community to help them gain the knowledge, tools and resources to handle absolutely anything when it comes to their teams, with complete confidence.

Matt Heighway

Profile picture for Matt Heighway
Matt is a CPA who has been working with business owners in multiple capacities for well over two decades. After commencing his career as an Accountant and Business Adviser, his own national start-up won numerous business awards and was featured in BRW fast 100. Since the business sold, he has been working with small-medium business owners helping them with business growth strategies and holistic business coaching.

Matt also is the Director of Lifetime SMSF, an accounting practice that specialises in Self-Managed Super Funds. Helping Australians manage their retirement nest eggs has been a lifelong project for Matt and he continues to get joy from helping.

Matt is a lifelong learner who loves to chat with other business owners. he is passionate about small business and always wants to see them win. He is at his best when things need turning around though, and gets his motivation helping small business owners come back from a set back.